Saint Mary’s

speaks to the strong national reputation of saint mary’s and makes me feel even more confident in our continued success.” dvorak spoke about the importance the college places on diversity in its student body.

“students of color make up 26% of the class of 2027 and 28% are first generation,” she said. “We recognize the importance be used by students to introduce themselves, ask a question about the First Lecture and perhaps even invite some new classmates to join for a meal in the dining hall.” he explained that this is one of many building blocks which create the indescribable “notre d ame experience.”

Whittington explained this is an example of precisely what makes notre d ame distinct: community.

“The fact that we bring together the entire first-year cohort of 2000-plus students simultaneously for a singular welcome experience is distinct. not only do we all share ‘one Welcome Weekend’ as opposed to several disconnected ‘summer orientations,’ but we gather together as a class cohort routinely for lectures, celebrations and prayer,” Whittington said.

“it is most definitely a part of what makes notre d ame special and speaks to our distinct way of teaching and learning,” Whittington said. “We believe education takes place in genuine and meaningful communion with others.” a ‘notre d ame experience’: how to take part in Welcome Weekend of bringing together women from different nations, cultures and races in helping our students grow and become the best versions of themselves.” dvorak referenced the seven different countries that are represented in the class of 2027. official international students come from the countries of brazil, china, honduras, nicaragua, nigeria and Ukraine. The first-year class also has students from 31 of the 50 states. e mily o rsini, program director for new student engagement and formation at the d ivision of s tudent a ffairs, explained this year’s Welcome Weekend places emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as health and wellness initiatives. i n between lectures, socials and last-minute trips to

Whittington said Welcome Weekend is not so much about creating belonging or inviting students to join the community, but rather it is about helping them realize they are already a part of it.

“o ne aim is to make known the reality that all new students are active and contributing members of this scholarly community immediately upon their arrival,” Whittington explained.

“We host the ‘You b elong here: Welcoming a ll b ackgrounds and identities to notre d ame’ program. This event is intended to fully and distinctly welcome incoming families of underrepresented backgrounds to the community at notre d ame to allow space for these families and students to meet one another and hear about what it means to join the notre d ame community,” o rsini said.

“We continue to expand the work we do through our division for inclusion and equity, which was founded to ‘educate and empower the saint mary’s community through collaboration and resources to create a welcoming, inclusive and safe environment for all constituents and to cultivate a culture of academic and institutional excellence,’” dvorak said. “We have also expanded partnerships with a number of community-based

Target, the class of 2027 is encouraged to take a breath during the “r est and r eflection Time.”

“d uring this time, students are encouraged to take a step back and take a muchdeserved break from the busy weekend,” o rsini said. “This could include taking a nap, going for a walk with a friend, journaling, praying or engaging in other practices of restoration and reflection.” a s plans for Welcome Weekend come to fruition, both Whittington and o rsini expressed gratitude for their role in forming the first few notre d ame experiences for the class of 2027 and their families.

“a s far as my role goes, i’m in the business of communicating those first truths that each new student belongs here, can grow here and can do good here. a nd it is such a privilege to do so,” Whittington said. he advised new students to take it all in with patience.

“i think it is important to remember that Welcome Weekend is the gateway, an entry point, a beginning. it is rare that a new student has all questions answered or has a complete sense of belonging organizations in markets, including but not limited to, chicago and houston. Through these relationships, we’re able to more adequately serve families and provide greater access to a saint mary’s education for their students.” saint mary’s saw an increase in their first-year applications, according to dvorak.

“The total number of applications between first-year and transfer (students) is 2,475, after the first 72 hours,” Whittington said. “it isn’t possible to pack all of what makes notre d ame such a transforming experience into one weekend. i mean, how limited and disappointing would the notre d ame experience be if it could be so easily summed up?” o rsini offered a glimpse into her own inspiration for her work in planning a Welcome Weekend that radiates “radical hospitality.”

“o ne person i find a lot of inspiration from is s t. a ndre b essette. s t. a ndre was a brother who served as a doorkeeper in montreal who was known for his radical hospitality, his ministry to all those he encountered and his desire to meet their needs,” o rsini said. “ s t. a ndre met everyone he encountered where they were at any given moment. he made them feel truly loved and valued, and he provided a sense of personal dignity, inviting them into a deeper relationship with God, with others and with themselves so that they might become the person that they were created to be.”

Contact Kelsey Quint at kquint@nd.edu

which is a 7% increase in total applications for the fall of 2023,” she said.

of the 2,375 first-year applications, 160 applied as early decision, meaning if admitted the student must enroll.

saint mary’s saw an overall 2% increase in first-generation college students from the class of 2026. additionally, 29% of the class of 2027 have a legacy connection, meaning at least one of their close family members attended the college.

The class of 2027 is also diverse in their personal interests. Within the class of 2027, there is a four-time world champion in equestrian riding, an international gold medal-winning irish dancer and even a student who is working to publish her first book.

additionally, 71% of the new class were athletes and 28% of those athletes were captains of their respective sports teams. about 57% of the class held positions of leadership in high school and 22% were officers in student government.

dvorak spoke about her hopes for the incoming class and transfer students.

“as they transition into life at saint mary’s, i wish for all our new students to be open to new friendships, new experiences and new opportunities to expand their horizons and grow into successful, intelligent and compassionate young adults.” Contact Meghan Lange which is hard to articulate in a number.” notre d ame has witnessed a similarly growing applicant pool in recent years.

Kidder cited data published by the c ommon a pp, illustrating that the number of applications per applicant has increased over the past few years. The c ommon a pp found that in 2013-14, just 0.4% of applicants applied to the maximum of 20 schools, and 7% applied to over 10 schools. i n 2021-22, 1.8% of applicants applied to 20 schools, and 17% applied to over 10 schools.

“i n many ways that reflects, i think, the impressive academic rigor, undergraduate research and the inclusive community that our students experience here,” Kidder said. “s o that’s, in some ways, an indicator of success.” o f the roughly 3,500 admitted students, 60% enrolled at notre d ame.

The class of 2027 is also the most diverse class in notre d ame history — 20.5% of the class is first generation or Pell recipients, 34% of the class identifies as students of color and 8% of the class is international.

“We have record percentages of lower-income students, students of color and international students, and i think this is really important as we seek to fulfill notre d ame’s mission,” Kidder said. “i view it as really essential to our student body that it reflects the vibrancy of the global c atholic community and that this a dmissions o ffice works really hard on outreach and recruitment efforts in order to achieve that vibrancy and diversity.” i n response to the ruling, University President Fr. John Jenkins said in a statement the University “will study the supreme c ourt’s decision and consider any implications for our admissions process as we strive to fulfill our distinctive mission.”

The class of 2027 was admitted before affirmative action was overturned by the supreme c ourt in June.

This year, the recruitment strategy already in place will be “amplified,” according to Kidder. s he highlighted purposeful relationships with prospective students.

“This isn’t a one-time outreach that notre d ame makes to a diverse group of prospective families and assumes that they’re going to apply to notre d ame,” Kidder said. “We really need to authentically invest in relationships so that we can continue to increase the diversity of our applicant pool.”

The University is in its third year of a test-optional admissions process, which began during the pandemic. a bout 37% of the class of 2027 applied without a test score, up 4% from the previous year.

Though the test-optional practice has been extended in the short term — through the 2025 application year — it is unclear whether that policy will extend long term.

“a fter only being test optional for a couple of years, i don’t think we have sufficient information to make the long-term policy decision,” Kidder said.

Kidder emphasized her excitement for Welcome Weekend and the arrival of the class of 2027.

“i love Welcome Weekend. i think we welcome students to this family better than any university in the world,” she said. “a fter reading the materials of these students, they are incredibly impressive, wonderfully kind human beings. a nd i’m very excited to welcome them home.”

Contact Kathryn Muchnick at kmuchnic@nd.edu